guild



2 SheetsA-Sheet 1.

G. G. GUILD. Machine for Polishi'n A g Small Artlcles. No. 224,086.Patented Feb. 3, 1880.

INVENTOR ATT EST 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

Patented Feb. 3, |880.

G. G. GUILD.

Machine for Polishing Small Articles. No. 224,086.

M @l ,m d. im ww V Wj@ H m e. M @l 6. ,all ma @le l ATTI-:STI

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT Gr. GUILD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR POLISHING SMA-LL. ARTICLES.

-srEcIrIcA'rIoN :forming To al1/whom `it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GILBERT G. GUILD, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented an Improved Machine for Polishing SmallArticles, of which the following is a specification.

My machineis especially designed for pol ishing buttons, but may beemployed for polishing jewelry, metallic and composition ornaments, andmany other small articles as well.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsection of the machine, one link and clutch being shown in position.Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line as a: inFig. 3. Fig. 3 is aplan of the machine. Fig.4 is a fragmentary verticalsection, Vshowing the device for dislodgingthe articles after polishing.Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate,`on a larger scale, the peculiar, constructionof the racks, Fig. 5 being a section on the line y y in Fig. 6. Theremaining figures, on a still larger scale, illustrate the constructionof the `chain and clutches.

Let A represent a table `having parallel sides and semicircular ends andprovided with suitable legs or supports. B and B are pulleys orcarrying-wheels mounted on'vertical shafts C C', and arranged, one ateachV end of the table A, lto rotate in a plane parallel with thelatter, and preferably closeunder it. The shafts G C' are mounted inbearingfbrackets D D', secured tothe table, and one end of the shaft Cis prolonged and bears `aworm-wheel I or other gear, which meshes with aworm or a pinion on a counter-shaft, a. This shaft may be belt-edto` apowerhaft or receive'motion in any other desired manner; or the shaft Gmay bear a belt-pulley and be belted direct to the power-shaft, ifpreferred.

An endless chain, E, the .construction of which will be hereinafterdescribed, is passed over the pulleys B B' and stretched taut betweenthem. To'provide for this stretching of the chain, oneor both of thebearing-brackets D D is made adjustable at its connectiouwith the table,or at some other point,'so that the pulleys B1B may be moved closer toor farther from eachother, as desired. Each pulley is provided with aprojecting flange at its lower edge, to keep and the pulley the chainfrom falling off, B is also provided `with teeth part of Letters, PatentNo. 224,086, daf-,ea February 3, Isso.

` Application filed June 21, 1879.

or` projections b bisee Fig. 9) to engage the links of the chain, sothat as the pulley is rov tated the chain is carried around with it. As

the pulley 'B' is not used to propel the chain, but only as a carrier,it need not be toothed.

Between the pulleys, where the chain assumes a straight line, it issupported by guides c c, one on each side of the table. These guides maybe attached tothe table in any suitable manner. y l

The chain E (shown in Figs. 9 and 10) is composed of links d d, ofuniform size and shape, which are providedwith one or more hinging-lugson each side, and `areconnected together by pintles e e, as shown. Fromeach link, at top and bottom, project bearing-lugs j', which areperforated to receive the spindles of the clutches which grasp and bearthe article to be polished. I prefer to provide each link with 'such aclutch; but, if preferred,

only alternate or occasional links may bear them. These clutches arelettered F in the various views. As they are or may be all alike, onedescription w'll serve for all. A link and clutch are shown together inpartial section in Fig. 7, and a plan of the clutch in Fig. 8. y

'I he spindle g of the clutch 1s journaled in y the lugs f f of thelink, and has flxed to it between said lugs a pinion, h, by which it maybe rotated. Fixed to its upper extremity is a head', i, to which arefulcrumed a suitable number of clamping levers or fingers, k 7c,preferably three, arranged equally distant from each other. These leverswork in slots in the head t, as shown in Fig. 8, and are provided withlips m m. o

1 The button `or other article is embraced between the jaws llof theclamping-levers, while the uppersurfaces of the lips m m serve tosupport it and prevent its falling down onto the head t' until the jawscloseu'pon it. jaws l l are of such shape as article to be polished,while they cover as little as possible of its surface.

The levers k 7c extend below the head t' alongside of the spindle g, andtheir tails or extremities'n a rest upon the surface of al spreaderfcone, o, which embraces the spindle and is free to' slide thereon, being forced upunder the lever ends a n by the pressure of a spring, Q,

The" v to firmly hold the IOC . iiXed at one end, bears H, provided with`last tooth,j,

The normal tendency of this arrangement of parts is to close the jaws Zl on the'button or other article to be clamped by the spreading apartofthe tails u n of the levers through the medium of the spreader-coneactuated by the spring.

`Vhen a button or other article to be polished is to be inserted orremoved from the jaws, the cone o is depressed, thus allowing the jawsto open.

The spreader-cone is provided with a projecting flange, p, by which itcan be depressed.

The tension of the spring qcan be regulated by means of a set-collar, r,upon which the spring rests. Y

Referring` to Figs. l, 2, and 3, 'G G are polishing cylinders or buffsmounted on shafts H pulleys, and arranged to berevolved by belting froma power-shaft, or in some other manner. One shaft, H, is arranged oneach side of the table A, and is journaled inv beariugblocks s s,supported by brackets t t on the table. Each shaft H carries one or morebuffs, G, (usually two,) one forsmoothing and polishing and the otherfor glossing and cleaning the article, and these buffs maybe of anysuitable material and construction. j

I is a ledge fixed to the end of the table A, and projectingsufficiently therefrom to engage the tlangesp p of the clutches F F asthey pass around the table end. The end I', Fig. 3, of this ledge, wherethe clutches first enga-ge it, is arranged a little higher than thehighest position of the flanges p p, so as to insure their passing underit, and from thence the ledge gradually descends until, at about thepoint l, it stands as low as are the fianges p p when sufficientlydepressed to admit of the removal of the article held by the clutches,and this depth of the ledge is or may be maintained during the remainderof its length. This ledge should, however, be capable of verticaladjustment. One ledge, I, is or may be placed at each end of the table.

Arranged along' each side ot' the table and under the liolishing-buf's GG is a fixed cog-v rack, J, adapted to engage the pinions l1, lt on theclutches before described, and rotate them as they pass it. I have shownthe racks as supported by brackets projecting from the guides c c; butthey may be attached to any other fixed part of the machine, aspreferred.

To insure the teeth of the pinions entering properly into the rack andprevent their becoming jammed or wedged, I provide the device shown inFigs. 5 and 6. A spring, K, on the other end one or more cogs or teeth,j j, corresponding in size and pitch to the teeth of the rack J. The isplaced the same distance from the first tooth of the rack that the teethofthe latter are from one another, and may project normally a little inadvance of them. As the pinion'h on a clutch, F, moves forward, itencounters irst the tooth or teeth j, and in case it should not be inproper positionfor engagement, and should become jammed against them,the spring will yield and permit the pinion to ride until its teeth meshwith the teeth jj, when it will begin to rotate, and as it advances itwill properly engage the teeth of the rack J. A

At K is shown a modification, the vend of the spring in this case being'bent to form a tooth, j. An equivalent of the construction shown wouldconsist in hinging` a small portion of the rack and pressing it forwardby a spring. y Having described the construction ofmy machine thus far,I willnow describe its operation. The chain E being in place and itslinks d d bearing the clutches F F, the shafts a and H H are set inmotion. The chain E is thus caused to travel around the table over thepulleys B Bf, and the polishing-cylinders above it are caused to revolverapidly. An operator is stationed at each end of the machine to feed thearticles to be polished into the clutches F F, whose jaws are held openby the action of the depressing-ledge I, as before described. As soon asthe clutches pass out from under the ledge i their jaws close firmly onthe articles. They next enter the guide c, where their pinions h h areengaged by the rack J, and the clutches are thereby rotated as they passunder the revolving polishing buffs or cylinders G G. By this means thefaces ofthe articles they carry are equally polished all over. As theypass from under the buffs they leave the rack and cease to rotate, andthen encounter the ledge I at the opposite end, which relieves the jawsof pressure and permits of the removal of the articles. This may be done-by hand but I prefer to accomplish it automatically by the device shownat L in Figs. 3 and 4. This consists simply of a rotary brush mounted ona shaft which is hungin brackets above the table and rotated by a belt.It serves to dislodge thearticles from the clutches and sweep them 0E into some receptacle placed to receive them. Y' i'v The operation abovedescribed is repeated in the same manner on the opposite side of thetable, my machine being essentially. double in its character, andrequiring two operatives.

I deem it advisable to provide an additional guide for the chain justabove each rack J, as seen ata in Figs. 2 and 6. This serves to steadythe chain while passing under the polishing cylinders or buffs.

As arranged, the prolonged axes of the clutch-spindles' would passthrough the axes of the polishing-buffs; but should it be founddesirable to polish more toward the edges of thearticles the bracketsttmay be moved to one lOO IIO

IZO

side or the other of the position shown, they being fastened to thetable by screws passing through slots, as shown in Fig. 2. As thepolishing-buffs become worn the shafts H H may be lowered by adjusting'the bearingblocks s s on the brackets t t, their connections being alsoslotted.

It will be observed that are arranged obliquely,

the clutches FF their tops being in- 4rack-teeth by a spring,

forth.

clined from the table. When thus arranged they may stand as closetogether as their diam eters will permit lwhen the chain is straightenedbetween the pulleys, and thereby as many articles at a time as possible;but when the chain is bent around a pulley they separate, assumingradialy positions, and sufficient space is left between them forconvenience in feeding the articles to them. The spindles may, however,be arranged to stand vertical, horizontal, or at any convenient anle. i.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. 'The brackets t t, arranged to be adjusted laterally on the table,and provided with adjustable bearing-blocks s s, in combination with thebuffs G, mounted on the shaft H, the endless chain E, and the clutchesF, all arranged as shown, so that the buffs may be brought to article tobe polished, as shown and specified.

2. The combination, to form a polishing-machine, of a table, A, pulleysB B', chain E, clutches or holders F F for the articles to be polished,and revolving polishing-buffs G Gr, arranged to operate substantially asset forth.

3. In a polishing-machine, the endless chain E, bearing clutches F F,which are provided with pinions h It, in combination with a fixed rack,J, adapted to engage the pinions hh, and thereby rotate the clutches,substantially as shown Iand described.

4. The cha-in E and clutches F F, provided with pinions h h, incombination with thepolishing-bui's G G and fixed racks J J, the latterso arranged as to cause the clutches to rotate while passing under thebuffs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The device for .insuring the correct engagement of the pinions h hwith the rack J, which consists of a tooth or teeth, j, arranged at theend of the rack as a continuation of the saine, free to move in adirection substantially at right angles to the pitch-line,`"and normallypressed forward in advance of the plane of the substantially as setpolish bear upon the center or edge of the `6. The combination, with therack J and pinions h h, of the spring K, secured at one end to the rackor other fixed part, and bearing upon its other or free end one or moreteeth, j, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a machine for polishing articles, of a table, A,pulleys B B', endless chain E, and clutches F F with a stationary ledgeor continuous depressor, I, arranged to operate substantially as setforth.

8. The combination of clutches F F, each having jaws to grasp anarticle, and a spreader whose normal tendency is to close said jaws upontheV article, but which, when depressed, permits the jaws to open, withthe chain E, pulleys B BQ table A, and a ledge or continuousdepressor,I, iiXe-d to the table and arranged to engage and depress saidspreaders, and thereby open the clutches, substantially as set forth.

9. The chain E, composed of links dol, provided with sideV perforatedlugs to receive hingingpins c e, and with front bearing-lugs to receivethe spindlesof clutches F F, substantially as set forth.

l0. Thecombination of the chain E, clutches F F, and ledge or depressorI with a rotary brush, L, arranged to dislodge the polished articles andsweep them out of the clutches, while the ledge I holds the clutchesopen or relieves the articles of pressure, substantially as set forth.

11. In a polishing-machine wherein the articles to be polished are heldby clutches carried by an endless chain around a table having straightsides and rounded ends, as shown, the arrangement of said clutches at anangle, their axial spindles being inclined outwardly, as

.and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY GoNNET'r, ARTHUR G. FRASER.

